1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a male sexual impotence treatment apparatus, comprising a constriction device implantable in a male patient, who suffers from sexual impotence, for engaging the patient's penile tissue or the prolongation thereof, the constriction device including an elongate adjustable constriction member adapted to extend in a loop around the penile tissue or the prolongation thereof, and an implantable adjustment device adapted to adjust the longitudinal extension of the constriction member in the loop to temporarily constrict the penile tissue or the prolongation thereof to restrict the penile exit blood flow to achieve erection.
The expression “penile tissue or the prolongation thereof” should be understood to mean the penile tissue extended inside the human body and following the pathway of the blood flow leaving the penis i.e. one or more exit veins from the penis, the corpus cavernosum, crura or the prolongation thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Male sexual impotence is a widespread problem. Many different solutions to this problem have been tried. A main solution currently practised and disclosed in for instance U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,437,605 and 4,841,461 is to implant a hydraulic inflatable silicone prosthesis in the cavities of the corpora cavernosa of the patient's penis. In fluid connection with this prosthesis is a reservoir implanted in the scrotum. By manual pumping action the prosthesis is filled with fluid from the reservoir to effect erect penile condition or is emptied of fluid, which returns to the reservoir, to effect flaccid penile condition. However, there are several more or less severe disadvantages of this main solution. Above all, the penis is more or less damaged by the operation and it is practically impossible to reverse the operation. Another disadvantage is that rather strong forces act against this implanted prosthesis resulting in a significant risk of the prosthesis being broken.
Another solution to achieve erection is to restrict the blood flow leaving the penis. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,990 discloses two hydraulically operated inflatable cuffs wrapped around the respective crura. A disadvantage of such a solution is that it involves complicated surgery. Another example on this solution is given by U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,544, which discloses an artificial fistula system surgically implanted and providing a primary fistula between the femoral artery and the femoral vein and a secondary fistula for leading blood from the primary fistula to the penis. An inflatable balloon engages the primary fistula between the secondary fistula and the vein. The balloon is in fluid connection with a manually compressible reservoir implanted in the scrotum. Again, implantation of this artifical fistula system requires delicate surgery.
Yet another example on the blood flow restriction solution is given by WO 01/54626, which discloses an elongate hydraulically adjustable constriction member adapted to temporarily constrict the corpora cavernosa or crura or the prolongations thereof of a patient's penile tissue to restrict the blood flow leaving the penis to achieve erection. There are an adjustment device that includes an inflatable cavity in the elongate constriction member and hydraulic means for adding hydraulic fluid to and withdrawing hydraulic fluid from the inflatable cavity. In practice, the elongate constriction member is made of silicone, which is a material approved for implantation, and the hydraulic fluid is a liquid such as an isotonic salt liquid mixed with other conventional materials. Although this blood flow restriction solution is quite promising, it has the following disadvantage. Since the salt solution is an incompressible liquid the pressure will be the same in the entire cavity of the constriction member. In consequence, the entire constriction member will press relatively hard against the corpora cavernosa or crura or the prolongations thereof when the hydraulic fluid is added to the constriction member, which over time might be injurious to the corpora cavernosa or crura or the prolongations thereof.